Unauthorised genetically modified rice in rice products from China — emergency measures

SUMMARY OF:

Implementing Decision 2011/884/EU — emergency measures regarding unauthorised genetically modified rice in rice products originating from China

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE DECISION?

It sets out emergency measures regarding genetically modified (GM) rice in rice products originating or consigned from China.
It establishes a common sampling and analysis protocol to detect the presence of GM rice in such imports.

KEY POINTS

Prior notification

Feed and food businesses must:

give adequate prior notification of the nature of the consignment and of the estimated date and time at the designated point of entry of its physical arrival;
indicate whether the product is food or animal feed.

Import conditions

Each consignment of products must be accompanied by an analytical report for each lot and by a health certificate completed, signed and verified by an authorised representative of the Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China.
If a product does not contain, consist of or is not produced from rice, the report and certificate may be replaced by a statement from the operator responsible for the consignment indicating this fact.
Each consignment must be identified with the code appearing on the health certificate. Each individual bag or other packaging form of the consignment must be identified with that code.

Official controls

The competent national authority must ensure that documents of each consignment are checked to certify that the import conditions for all such products are complied with.
If a consignment of rice products is not accompanied by a health certificate or the analytical report, the consignment must be re-dispatched to the country of origin or destroyed.
If a consignment is accompanied by the health certificate and the analytical report, the authority must take a sample to analyse the presence of unauthorised GM rice. If the consignment consists of several lots, each lot must be sampled and analysed.
Onward transport of the consignment can be authorised pending the results of the physical checks. However, during this time, it must remain under the continuous control of the competent authorities.
Free circulation of consignments is only permitted after the results of the physical tests are provided and if all the lots comply with EU law.

Reports

Every 3 months EU countries must each send a report to the European Commission giving an account of the results of all analytical tests carried out in the previous 3 months. The report must include the following information:

the number of consignments subjected to sampling for analysis;
the results of the checks undertaken;
the number of consignments rejected for lack of a health certificate or analytical report.

FROM WHEN DOES THE DECISION APPLY?

It has applied since 12 January 2012.

BACKGROUND

For more information, see:

Genetically modified organisms (European Commission).

MAIN DOCUMENT

Commission Implementing Decision 2011/884/EU of 22 December 2011 on emergency measures regarding unauthorised genetically modified rice in rice products originating from China and repealing Decision 2008/289/EC (OJ L 343, 23.12.2011, pp. 140-148)

Successive amendments to Decision 2011/884/EU have been incorporated into the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.